Place to rent for special occasionsHistoric Oakland5430 Vantage Point Road, Columbia410-730-4801, historicoakland.comHonorable mention The Great Room at Savage Mill Oliver’s Carriage House Turf Valley Resort and Conference Center

Place for music lessonsMike’s Music4872 Montgomery Road, Ellicott City410-465-0700, mikesmusicmd.comHonorable mention Damon Foreman Music Academy The Maryland Music Academy Music & Arts Olenka School of Music

Foster a pet. Teach a kid to golf. Make life easier for the elderly. In Howard County, the opportunities to make a difference are almost endless. Here are 35 ways to donate your time, money or expertise.

On a cloudy but pleasant winter morning, a dense pack of fox hounds accompanied by a few smartly dressed men and women on horseback trot across the rolling hills of a country estate and come to a stop in front of a large group of well-dressed riders.